Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: hip-hop
Song Meaning of “Citgo” by Chief Keef
Citgo is a song by Chief Keef that speaks to the harsh conditions of living in a gritty city. The song serves as a reminder of the struggles many face in cities marked by poverty and violence. The narrator in the song expresses their feelings of hopelessness and despair as they describe a world where life can be quickly taken away and darkness descends too often.
The song draws its title from the Citgo gas station which serves as a gathering place for the young people of the city. For many, it symbolizes the gathering of a group of people to persevere in a situation with no hope in sight. The first line of the song lays out this message explicitly, “Sheep coming to the Citgo (Citgo).” This line symbolically reveals how the narrator and many of his peers use this place to obtain a sense of community and safety.
The lyrics of the song smash together a variety of emotions. A person is described as a “man of much pressure”, a line which likely speaks to the financial pressures of living in a place with no financial safety net in place. The narrator also mentions the lack of motivation in his own life, saying “I’m too young to think about problems,” further emphasizing his lost hopes. The narrator feeling of hopelessness is solidified with the lines “When the night come, all I see is darkness.”
Overall, Citgo captures many of the feelings and ideas of a generation of people who live in a few of the most deprived situations around the world. Chief Keef’s lyrics provide a window into a life where darkness dominates, and hope may seem to be lost.